Quick connect/disconnect coax connector

ABSTRACT

A quick-connect, quick-disconnect positive locking coaxial connector, suitable for radio frequency circuits and employing a single movable locking sleeve to lock a standard jack into a socket. The connector includes a spring type female terminal encased in an insulator block. An annular shield protects the locking members which are connected to the locking sleeve by angle extensions in slots in the shield.

ilnited States Patent 1191 1 11 ,869,187 Bingham Mar. 4, 1975 1 QUICK CONNECTI/DISCONNECT COAX 3,408,610 10/1968 Clarkson 339/91 P x CONNECTOR- 3,684,32l 8/1972 Hundhausen 339/91 P X [75] Inventor: Chalice Bingham, Oak Ridge, Tenn. [73] Assignee: Sealectro Corporation,

Mamaroneck, NY.

[22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1974 21 Appl. No..- 450,417

52 us. c1. ..339/9 11 [51] Int. Cl ..1-101r13/54 [58] Field of Search 339/89 C, 90 C, 91 P;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,206,540 9/1965 Cohen... .1 339/91 P X 3,325,767 6/1967 Lancaster 339/91 P X 1 14 21 l 20 24 I I r E g-A 1? f I 5 i 1 Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant E.\'aminerE. F. Desmond Attorney, Agent, or Firm/ lames M. Heilman; William O. Heilman; Anthony J. Casella [57] ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 6Drawing Figures BACKGROUN-DOF THE INVENTION Connectors for coaxial lines should make positive electrical-contactof both the line and shield with as little variation in the axial structure as possible. Large masses of insulation at or near the contact area disturb the ohmic balance and produce reflection waves. Many prior connectors used helical or cylindrical springs which are expensive to manufacture and complicate the assembly and operation of the connector.

The present connector uses only one moving part. There areno springs or other resilient members and the insulation mass is kept at a minimum. One simple movement of the locking sleeve is all that is needed to lock or unlock the connector.

Oneofthe-featuresof the present invention is locking means"whicli -comprises a plurality of metal fingers pressed into a groove in the male connector.

Another feature of the invention is the absence of springs and spring members, thereby simplifying the construction and lowering the cost.

SUMMARY The electrical connector for coaxial lines comprises a female portion having a hollow axial connecting ter minal surrounded by a tubular insulator. The tubular insulator is. held in place by an outer conductive cylinder and an inner locking plug. A locking sleeve is slidably positioned on the outer conductive cylinder and includes a plurality of locking fingers. An annular.

shield is secured to the outer cylinder-and is formed with a plurality of slots for the passage of the locking fingers. The male portion of the connector has an axial conductive extension for entering the hollow connecting terminal. The extension is supported by a tubular cylinder formed with an annular groove for engagement by the ends of the locking fingers when the male and female portions are joined.

The locking sleeve is moved to its locking position when its fingers are forced into the groove in the male position and held in engagement by the annular shield.

Additional details of the invention will be disclosed a in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a side view of the connector when the male and female portions are locked together.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the female portion of the connector.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross section of the male and female portions showing the locking fingers in engagement with the groove inthe male portion.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the female portion shown in FIG. 2 and is taken along line 4-4 of that figure.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the locking sleeve showing the locking fingers.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the annular sleeve showing the extensions which fit into the slots in the locking sleeve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The coaxial connector includes a female portion 10,

2 shown in cross section in FIG. 2 and a male portion 11 shown in FIG. 3. The female portion includes an outer conductive cylinder 12 whichmay be made of brass, an inner locking plug 13, which screws into the outer cylinder 12, and insulator 14, for supporting a hollow axial connecting terminal 15. The connecting terminal 15 may be slotted, as indicated inthe drawings, for better electrical contact. The supporting insulation may conveniently be made in two parts, as indicated, to aid in assembly. The terminal 15 is formed with a flange 16 and a backward extending tube 17. During assembly, the coaxial conductor (not shown) is pushed into the hollow tube 18 with the central conductor positioned in tube 17. Then a drop of solder 20 is added to secure the conductor in place. Alternatively, a conductive epoxy or glue may be used in place ofsolder 20. The two insulator parts 14 are held in place by the plug 13 and the flange 16 holds the terminal.

A locking sleeve 21 is positioned over the outside surfaceof the outer cylinder 12 and is slidable thereon. The locking sleeve is formed with integral fingers 22 (see FIG. 5) which extend longitudinally and fit over the male portion 11. In order to lock the finger ends in groove 23 an annular shield 24 is positioned as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. This shield is secured to the outer cylinder12'by solder bits 25 or glue after complete assembly. The shield protects the fingers 22 and locks them into place when the locking sleeve is pushed into its locking position. The shield is formed with extensions 26 (see FIG. 6) which are inserted through slots 27 in the flange portion of locking sleeve 21.

To connect this connector to the mating male connector, simply push on any part ofthe connector shown i'n FlG. 2 and the locking sleeve 21 will snap into the groove 23 as shown in FIG. 3. The inner edge of the shield 24 will force the slotted fingers 22 into the groove 23 forming the lock when either connector is pulled upon.

The two portions are now locked together and a longitudinal pull cannot separate them. However, a short movement of the locking sleeve which pulls the fingers 22 clear of groove 23, unlocks the two portions and they can be easily separated.

The embodiments ofthe inventionin which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An electrical connector for a coaxial line comprismg:

a. a female portion having a hollow axial connecting terminal surrounded by a tubular insulator, and including an outer conductive cylinder and an inner locking plug for holding the tubular insulator in place;

b. a locking sleeve slidably positioned on the outer conductive cylinder integrally connected to a plurality of locking fingers;

c. an annular shield secured to the outer cylinder formed with slots for the passage of a flange which supports the locking fingers; and

d. a male portion having an axial conductive extension-for. entering the connecting terminal and supported by a tubular cylinder formed with an annular groove for engagement by the ends of said locking fingers when the male and female portions are joined.

2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said tubular insulator is formed in two pieces for clamping the'connecting terminal and holding it in place.

3. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said locking sleeve is formed with an inwardly extending flange for supporting the locking fingers at a position where they surround the male portion when the male portion is joined to the female portion.

4. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the annular shield is provided with an inwardly extending ledge for making contact with the ends of said fingers and for forcing them into the annular groove in the male member.

5. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said annular shield is secured to the'outer conductive cylinder by solder prepositioned in a groove.

6. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 4. wherein said locking plug is threaded into the outer cylinder for securing two portions of the tubular insulator in place.

7. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking plug is formed with an axial hole for supporting a coaxial line.

8. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said annular shield is secured to the outer conductive cylinder by glue.

9. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locking sleeve includes at least four spaced locking fingers.

10. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ends of the locking fingers are bent radially .inwardly to facilitate positioning in the annular groove of the tubular sleeve. 

1. An electrical connector for a coaxial line comprising: a. a female portion having a hollow axial connecting terminal surrounded by a tubular insulator, and including an outer conductive cylinder and an inner locking plug for holding the tubular insulator in place; b. a locking sleeve slidably positioned on the outer conductive cylinder integrally connected to a plurality of locking fingers; c. an annular shield secured to the outer cylinder formed with slots for the passage of a flange which supports the locking fingers; and d. a male portion having an axial conductive extension for entering the connecting terminal and supported by a tubular cylinder formed with an annular groove for engagement by the ends of said locking fingers when the male and female portions are joined.
 2. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said tubular insulator is formed in two pieces for clamping the connecting terminal and holding it in place.
 3. An electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein said locking sleeve is formed with an inwardly extending flange for supporting the locking fingers at a position where they surround the male portion when the male portion is joined to the female portion.
 4. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the annular shield is provided with an inwardly extending ledge for making contact with the ends of said fingers and for forcing them into the annular groove in the male member.
 5. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said annular shield is secured to the outer conductive cylinder by solder prepositioned in a groove.
 6. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking plug is threaded into the outer cylinder for securing two portions of the tubular insulator in place.
 7. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said locking plug is formed with an axial hole for supporting a coaxial line.
 8. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein said annular shield is secured to the outer conductive cylinder by glue.
 9. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the locking sleeve includes at least four spaced locking fingers.
 10. An electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ends of the locking fingers are bent radially inwardly to facilitate positioning in the annular groove of the tubular sleeve. 